Taraba govt warns detractors to desist from campaign of calumny against Gov Ishaku

The Taraba State government has sent a note of warning to those it said were detractors of the state governor, Darius Ishaku.

This followed renewed attacks on some communities in Wukari by suspected Tiv militias, which the government said some groups were using as a campaign of calumny against the efforts of the state government.

Danjuma Adamu, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, who spoke on Wednesday while addressing newsmen in Jalingo said that the state governor is for all citizens of the state as against some insinuations that he is a Jukun governor.

Adamu said that the governor swore an oath to promote and protect the interest of all Tarabans and also frowned at renewed attacks on some communities in Wukari by suspected Tiv militias.

He said; “my attention has been drawn to a campaign of calumny against His Excellency, Arch. Darius Dickson Ishaku, the Executive Governor of Taraba State following the recent attacks on Wukari and the murder of Mr. Yusuf Usman in Donga by suspected Tiv militia.

“My initial reaction was to ignore such mischievous elements whose stock-in-trade is to undermine the good efforts of Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku who has been tirelessly working to maintain peace and enhance development throughout the State.

“I am, however, compelled to respond because it is evident there are cowardly characters who lack the confidence to reveal their identities. This campaign is being prosecuted by a desperate group aimed at undermining the legacies of the Governor and his rising political profile.

“On Thursday, 2 April, 2020 Mr. Yusuf Usman and his wife from Donga left for farm, unfortunately they were attacked on the way by suspected Tiv militia, resulting to the murder of Yusuf and abduction of his wife who has still not been found.

“The same Thursday in the evening in Wukari some suspected Tiv militia attacked Wukari from the Old B.B Bread area, which led to the death of a young man and burning of some thatched houses.

“As a matter of fact, these suspected Tiv militias have turned themselves into terrorist groups, and now and then terrorizing the peace loving people of Southern Taraba.

“These dastardly attacks did not start today, but have been happening over several decades, which have resulted in loss of many lives, dislocation of people and destruction of properties running into billions of Naira.

He further stated that “in the case of the Wukari attack by the suspected Tiv militia in the early hours of Tuesday, 7th April, 2020 (the second in two weeks), it was successfully repelled.

“It should be further noted that when Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku came to power in 2015, as a leader concerned with protecting the lives of people of the State generally, he immediately swung into action by embarking on peace meetings with his Benue State counterpart and various communities in Southern Taraba, aimed at finding lasting solutions to these crises and to establish sustainable peace in the State,” Adamu added.